A Kurdish militia group claimed responsibility for the attack that took place in Ankara, which resulted in the deaths of at least five people at the headquarters of a major Turkish defense company, TUSAS. The military wing of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) reported that the attack was carried out by two members of their "Immortal Battalion" in retaliation for Turkish actions and "massacres" in Kurdish regions.
The assailants, a man and a woman, arrived at the TUSAS facilities on the outskirts of the Turkish capital by taxi, carrying explosives and firearms. During the assault, four employees of the company lost their lives, and more than 20 people were injured.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya detailed that the female attacker detonated an explosive device after being injured in a shootout at the entrance of the TUSAS complex. It is known that the assailants infiltrated Turkey from Syria, although no further details have been provided.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated in a speech during a defense industry fair in Istanbul that Turkey is determined to eradicate the militia group, reiterating the country's resolve to combat the aggressors. Erdogan mentioned that while the pain from the loss of martyrs is great, the willingness to fight against the attackers is even greater.
The Kurdistan Workers' Party justified the attack on TUSAS as a response to the weapons produced by the company that, according to the group, have caused the deaths of thousands of civilians in Kurdistan, including children and women. TUSAS is dedicated to the design, manufacture, and assembly of civil and military aircraft, drones, and other defense systems.
The attack comes at a time when there are signs of a possible new attempt at dialogue to end the decades-long conflict between the PKK and the Turkish army. Some politicians have suggested the possibility that Abdullah Öcalan, leader of the PKK, could receive parole if he renounces violence and dissolves the organization.
For its part, the People's Defense Center, the military wing of the PKK, stated that the attack is not related to recent political agendas and was planned in advance. They also noted that TUSAS was chosen as a target due to the use of the weapons produced by the company in Kurdish areas.
President Erdogan has reaffirmed Turkey's determination to combat the militants, highlighting the importance of defense systems in the fight against armed groups in the country. The Turkish government attributed the attack to the PKK and conducted bombings on facilities suspected of being used by the group in northern Iraq and northern Syria.
